


The Rumor Mill Is Going to Love This

by Misscar



Series: The Gossip Universe [1]
Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: Angst and Humor, Denial of Feelings, Domestic Fluff, Epiphanies, F/M, Falling In Love, Gen, M/M, Mild Language, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-04-22 20:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4848608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misscar/pseuds/Misscar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Because life is peppered with realizations and tiny moments that change your life forever. You just won’t realize it for a little while.</p>
<p>A collection of one-shot epiphany moments from the Gossip Universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Drunken Honesty

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This may look somewhat familiar to those of you that read the original version of Adaptation Mode Style on fanfiction.net (soon to be reposted under the new name Happily Ever After is Just a Rumor). I am completely rewriting the story. So much that I decided to make the original prologue a series of one shots that will be separate from the main story. I’m planning to add a few as time goes on. This is just the beginning. 
> 
> I came to this decision because first of all my writing style has changed significantly over the years. Also I’ve been stuck for three years on how to finish the story and I decided that the best way to complete it was to start over.
> 
> The shorts in this collection will be nonlinear. We will be jumping around in time. This is why each story will be timestamped.
> 
> In relation to the show, this short story takes place between seasons two and three. 
> 
> In the Gossip Universe, this predates the main story by about a year.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my original characters.

 

**Daniel Meade's** **Epiphany**

_Timestamp: August 10, 2008 11:33 PM Eastern daylight savings Time_

Daniel Meade could think of a million reasons why he did not call Betty a.k.a. his assistant a.k.a. his best friend a.k.a. the only person who ever understood him completely. He could not bring himself to tell her that his own sister stabbed him in the back and took away one of the few things he cared about besides her. Mode mattered to him because it was the first time he was given an opportunity to prove that he was more than just the pretty boy everyone thought he seemed to be.

 

Except apparently they were all right. He was now the failure that everyone always said he was, everyone but Betty. Mode was now Wilhelmina’s. He put his heart and soul into  _Mode_  and Alexis took it all away. Worst of all, he just let his sister and her evil accomplice do it.

 

He did not fight Alexis' decision, because in his heart he believed he was the constant screw up that everyone saw him as. Maybe that is why after over a month he could not bring himself to tell her that the two of them have been "reassigned" to  _Player_ magazine and Damien the truly incompetent.

 

Actually, it was just he that was reassigned to  _Player_. If she wanted to, she could stay at  _Mode_. She did nothing wrong. Actually Daniel was certain Alexis believes that Betty does most of his work for him.

 

The thought of her not being with him scared the hell out of him. Contrary to what people believe he can do this job by himself but it’s just easier with her there. It’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off of and tell him when he’s being an idiot. He enjoys just being able to tell her what he was thinking even if it was at three in the morning. He couldn't imagine not being able to brainstorm with her in the middle of the day or console her on a project idea. He wasn't sure he could be an editor without her.

 

This last month was torture without her there to be his cheerleader. He was second-guessing every single one of his decisions. Should he send DJ to the overly pretentious prep school that he went to as a child? Should he fire Damien for being an idiot or don’t rock the boat and keep things as they are? Should he actually try at Player when everyone expects him to fall flat on his ass?

 

Before he met her, he made being a moron and a screw up an art form. He probably kept half the tabloids in business during the two subsequent months following Alex’s supposed death. He definitely kept Tiffany’s a float with his apology trinkets.

 

When he got the job two years ago, being the editor of  _Mode_  was about pleasing his father and having a different model in his bed every night. No, it wasn’t about proving he could be better than Alex Meade. Mode was just something handed to him on a silver platter because Alex was supposedly gone. Like everything else in life this was nothing he actually earned. Therefore he did not see the need to put any effort into it.

 

Then, this girl with bad teeth, no sense of style, and hair that had serious issues came into his life and flipped his entire perspective. She made him care about something else. She made him see the value in himself. Daniel is very self-aware that without her, he would only have lasted a month as the editor of Mode, not nearly two years. What would he do without her? He was not sure and he’s absolutely terrified of finding out.

 

Now he loved his job (or he did before he was reassigned to the Player purgatory that is Damien). Betty gave him that. She was the one that showed him he was more than the playboy of New York and definitely more than his last name. She made him learn about the magazine industry, maybe about life in general. He now understood every aspect of the publishing process of the magazine from graphics to layout.

 

Because of her, Daniel now saw the position at Mode as a platform to do something productive and maybe even change the viewpoints of others. The proudest day of his career was the Alternative Fashion show. Not only did that show make  _Mode_  the star of Fashion Week 2008, it also showed the magazine's readership that being fashionable had nothing to do with being a "skinny hanger". That show was the entire reason why they were able to get their May cover girl; she would only pose for a magazine that promoted healthy body images.

 

Now every millimeter of progress he’s made in the last two years has been undone by Alexis and Satan the Diva. His two years of hard work meant nothing and it never really did. Now he was back to being the screw up and "player" everybody, including himself, saw him as. The half-empty bottle of something very expensive he was drinking alone after DJ went to bed was testament to that.

 

But Betty never saw him as this and that thought made him feel warm and fuzzy in a way that he couldn't comprehend at the moment. It did more for him than the alcohol ever could.

 

Before he met her, everything he did in this life centered on pleasing "them" and living up to "their" image of who he was supposed to be. It took him a while to understand that was impossible.

 

Betty was the one who made him recognize that it was more important for him to learn to please himself. Despite that, at a certain point she became his only motivation for doing anything good in his life. He is not sure when this happened, but he knows it has. Instead of making his father and later his sister happy, he only cares about pleasing her. Her smile literally makes his day. Because if she was happy, he was happy and that’s what mattered.

 

At this moment, Daniel realizes his main reason for not telling Betty that he was no longer editor in chief of  _Mode_  magazine was because he did not want to make her unhappy. His heart could not take the sound of disappointment in her voice, of seeing a frown on her face. Daniel’s self-worth would shatter into a million pieces once he realized he could not make her happy.

 

For over a month, he tried to tell her what happened. Every night after DJ went to sleep, he would dial her number. Every night he would panic and never actually press the send button. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to her, he just couldn’t. He couldn't bear to hear the sound the disappointment in her voice.

 

Daniel knew he needed to talk to her. He was just starting to realize that not speaking to her every day made him feel empty. He missed the sound of her voice and actually speaking to someone who just understood what he was thinking instantly.

 

Now on the night before her return to work, he sat in his new apartment with his cell phone in hand, trying to get up the nerve to tell the most important person in his life (not related by blood) that he was no longer the EIC of  _Mode_. Daniel wondered when she became the most important person in his life. He could not pinpoint the moment when she took that place.

 

He tried to call her 20 times that first night after the world’s worst softball game. But every time he tried he could not bring himself to press the green button to send the call. At first, he told himself he did not want to ruin her trip to Rome or her first night back with the supposed love of her life. (Although what type of "love of your life" would knock someone else up while they were in love with you? He would never do that to her--anyone.)

 

The real reason he did not call her that day was because he could not deal with the possibility of losing her forever just so she could be with Henry in Arizona. It may just kill him. He doesn’t want her to leave, especially if she was leaving him for someone who didn't really love her. That first night he came to the conclusion that he couldn't live without her.

 

If he would have checked his messages like any sane person he would know that Betty didn't choose Henry over him. He means that Betty did not choose Henry over Gio. No, he was right the first time. There’s no point in lying to himself in his own head. Even if he was in complete denial about it, he knew that he saw Betty leaving for no other reason than a personal rejection of him.

 

Three days after the game from hell, he finally brings himself to check his blackberry. (The new one that Amanda brought by because his old one had a small accident with the wall.) He had hundreds of messages in his account that Daniel had no choice but to go through himself because there was no Betty to filter the most important ones out for him. They included several inquiries from the press about why he is leaving Mode and a few emails from employees that will miss him. He barely reads any of them except the latter. Daniel really only cared about the messages from Betty. If she did not label it, "I'm not going with Henry to Arizona," he probably would have never opened the e-mail. (DJ promised to not say anything about his actual cheering).

 

As soon as he read her letter, it would be easy for him to send her a message about everything that has happened. He may have started drafting it:

 

_Thank God you dumped both Harry and Gio. I really need you to come back here. I_ _’_ _m drowning without you. Satan herself took over my magazine and Alexis let her. I can_ _’_ _t even look at DJ because I feel like a complete failure. I think I'm going to be a worse father than Bradford and I didn't think it was possible to go below the bar he set._

_So, how is Ohio? Did you finally go to Cedar Point? Are the roller coasters as great as everyone says they are? Please come home._

 

After a 20-minute argument with himself, he decides that this is not the type of news you give your best friend in an e-mail and quickly deleted his miserable attempt at correspondents and started over.

 

_Good use of subject line. Without you here the emails are getting overwhelming._

 

_I think you made the right decision in trying to find yourself first. I personally felt that Howard had no right to ask you to come to Arizona. Your life is in New York. Also, it was probably best to let Gio keep the trip to Rome considering that you dumped him, sort of. I will make some phone calls to make sure he has access to everything._

_Things are great at home. DJ and I are getting along really well. I'm starting to be able to hold a basic conversation in French. It does eventually come back to you._

_OK I'm starting to recognize the food words again but that's making grocery shopping a lot easier. Yes, I can go grocery shopping by myself. I'm not that hopeless. I will not die of starvation without you._

_DJ loves your dance game and made a complete fool out of me. Did you actually make it to Cedar Point? Send me a shot or two of you on a roller coaster. Send pictures and pick DJ up a T-shirt from somewhere. I will pay you back when you come home._

Personally, Daniel finds it a small miracle that he did not beg her to come home. He wanted too, badly.

 

 

That night he also tried to call her, but after five failed attempts, he gives up. He ends up watching The  _Little Mermaid_  and  _Beauty and the Beast_  in French with English subtitles in a desperate attempt to pick up the language so that he can communicate with DJ. Even though he has seen each film with her 100 times during the great Henry debacle, he still only understood about 10% of what was being said. It made him feel better because they remind him of her. He realized that even things that remind him of her bring him peace.

 

Two days later, she starts sending him photographs of her travels including one of her terrified on a roller coaster as requested   He missed her so much after a week; he is halfway ready to take DJ on a tour of America just so he can accidentally bump into her at the Grand Canyon. Instead, he saved every single one of her emails and uses a picture of her as the wallpaper on his cell phone.

 

He chose to reply to her by e-mail because it is easier that way. If he talks to her, she will be able to pick up on his uneasiness instantly. No one else can read him like her. He keeps things light. He doesn't tell her about all the times he caught DJ crying in his room at night or fighting his daily urge to strangle Damien. He definitely doesn't tell Betty about family dinner with Alexis making him physically ill. There is definitely no need to tell her that.

 

He tries not to think about how he scans every message from her for mentions of casual hook ups or her having sex with strangers. He tries not to think about how happy he was to know she stayed single all summer. Nor does he want to think about the fact that he hasn't slept with anyone because none of the women that he meets can hold a candle to her.

 

Tomorrow she will be back, but he still could not bring himself to talk to her on the phone. He felt like a 15-year-old boy trying to get up the courage to call the head cheerleader and ask her out on a date. Except he didn't think of Betty that way contrary to what the rumor mill believed.

 

The fact that he has been having the occasional erotic dream involving making love to Betty on top of his desk is completely irrelevant. He blames Renee for putting that particular idea in his head.

 

(Go ahead and keep lying to yourself Daniel, maybe you will eventually believe it.)

 

He tells himself he is having these types of dreams about her because Betty is a beautiful woman and he would have these dreams about any beautiful woman. It does not mean anything. He tries not to think about how he uses the term "make love" in relationship to Betty instead of the term "fuck". He also tries not to think about how the thought of Betty having sex with anybody else makes him want to throw up or that at least one time he considered asking Alexis if she still had a "friend" that could take care of the guy . Instead of trying to find the questions that he's not ready to answer, he focuses on trying to call her for the 522nd time this summer.

 

As he has for the last month, he puts the phone down without actually doing so. He will see her tomorrow and everything will be okay. She will not leave him. She can't leave him. No he doesn't want to consider why he so adamant about this.

**15 days later**

Daniel is completely unable to watch her pack her things to go back to Mode where she belongs. He is already on the verge of tears and he can't handle it.  He cannot bear to watch her leave. He cannot say goodbye to her. He tried to tell himself that she is leaving  _Player_  not him. His mind knows that, but his heart doesn't. He loves her too much to watch her leave him.

 

Oh fuck, did he just say the L word? She is his best friend. Of course, he loves her. He loved her just as a friend. Except he's pretty sure you're not supposed to be having now daily sex fantasies about your best friend. You are not supposed to wonder how your best friend would look dressed up in the lingerie set that all the other models are wearing for the photo shoot she feels is beneath your dignity. You're not supposed to feel even worse about your horrible life choices because she gave you her disappointment look.

 

If he loved her as just a friend, then why does it feel like she is ripping his heart in two as she walks to the elevator? If he only loved her as a friend, then why does he feel like his entire world is falling apart right now? If he only loves her as a friend, why is she the most important person in his life? The answer is obvious.

 

He is in love with his best friend. He is in love with her in the "happily ever after, want to raise a family with her" way. He is in love with her in the "I want to see her become the greatest EIC ever" way. He is in love with her in the "I can't live without her," way. He is completely in love with Betty Suarez.

 

Oh, fuck!

 

What is he going to do now? He can't tell her. He remembered her explicitly telling him that she only sees him as a friend. His heart is fragile and Daniel can't take her rejecting him again. He will just keep this revelation to himself. There's no need for her to ever know. Besides he's not good enough for her. No one is.

**The end (or just the beginning of Daniel's Extreme denial).**

 


	2. Tomato Soup for the Broken Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last short story. I am sorry I did not respond to your reviews individually. My mom ended up going into the hospital that day after slipping and falling and I just really didn’t feel like talking to anybody. She spent most of October at a rehab center after seriously breaking her leg and hip, but she’s now recovering comfortably at home and I was even able to visit with her for a few days. Then on November 25 my uncle died of breast cancer and yesterday (December 1) my brother-in-law died of lung cancer. It's been a long couple of months.
> 
> This is of course why I’m horribly behind in rotation. If you’re wondering when the next chapter of Alex Suarez will come out in mid-December. Half of the final chapter is written and when I get a chance I will work on it slowly but shortly but family stuff comes first. Also once Alex Suarez is done I will be exclusively focusing on the rewriting the Gossip Universe.
> 
> Here are a few notes about the series. First of all, not all the stories are Betty and Daniel centered. For example, this first piece of new material in the Gossip Universe in almost 4 years is the story of how Monique and Gio met each other. Other stories that will be included will focus on Cliff and Marc’s first meeting post break up and Betty’s last days with Molly. Of course there will be some Betty Daniel moments, such as Daniel and Betty together after Molly’s funeral. I alluded to some of these scenes in the original story but I really want to go back and bring them to life. 
> 
> After posting the revised Cliff and Marc One shot from the original series, I’m going to start posting the revised version of the main story and then other stories will be added when creativity strikes. I will be taking requests. If there was something alluded to in the original story that you want to know more about, just ask.
> 
> Warning: Grab tissues. This short story is a tearjerker. Trigger warning: cancer
> 
>  
> 
> The story is also dedicated to my sister who for the last few months has been dealing with her husband’s battle with stage IV lung cancer, even though he never smoked a day in his life. Seeing her and my nieces take care of him this summer really shaped the direction of the story, causing it to become more than just the story of when Monique met Gio. It's fitting that this gets posted just after he falls asleep in death.
> 
> Relationships for this short story: Molly&Monique friendship, pre-Monique/Gio, Gio/sourdough girl it’s complicated Molly/Daniel, and it’s even more complicated pre-Betty/Daniel.

February 2009

 

Molly: It’s back.

 

Monique stares at the words on her screen. She is 99% sure what ‘it’ is but she doesn’t want ‘it’ to be back. She would prefer Molly going back to that asshole Connor. That she can deal with. The cancer not so much.

 

Monique tells herself that if the cancer is back Molly would call her. This is not something you tell somebody in a text message, even if you’ve been friends for as long as they’ve been. 

 

'This is better than finding out about it on CNN', a bitter voice whispers in the back of her mind. She still believes that the way she found out about Jordan's vehicular homicide was worse than the death itself.

 

Molly was there to pick up the pieces after that catastrophe. Molly stood by her during her catastrophic, emotional breakdown and bad sex decisions involving Alex and several guys she doesn’t even remember the names of. He’s the only one she still talks to. 

 

It’s a small miracle she survived that time without an STD. She didn’t have to worry about pregnancy because that was post hysterectomy. That may have been why the bad sex decisions happened. She was trying to prove to herself that she was still a complete woman, even if she didn’t have a uterus anymore.

 

Yet Molly was there through all of that and the mental health rehab that followed. Monique is pretty sure Molly lived on her couch for most of 2004 and Monique repaid the favor by driving her to every single chemo appointment for the majority of 2006. 

 

They weren’t supposed to be doing this again in 2009. The cancer should be gone. It’s been gone for two and half years. Why is it back now?

 

Maybe she’s reading the text message wrong. She has to be. Just because Molly had an appointment at the gynecologist a few days ago does not mean anything. If Molly suspected a relapse, she would have asked Monique to go with her to the doctor’s office. Monique may absolutely hate turning over her magazine to Damien for any significant period of time but she’ll do it for Molly. She would walk over hot coals for that woman and Molly would do the same. Besides she was working with Cliff and he could read her mind without her even being there. It’s impossible for Damien to mess up a Cliff shoot.

 

However, Monique can’t keep lying to herself when she gets text message number two.

 

Molly: cancer sucks and I hate chemo

 

So did Monique. 

 

Shit! 

 

That is not good at all. Monique grabbed her phone shakily, along with her purse and coat, because it’s still February and freezing outside. But she can’t make this phone call in her office. She just can’t, the walls are closing in on her and she honestly can’t breath. Her lungs are seizing up and her heart is beating way too fast. 

 

Her ever loyal assistant Candi realizes something’s wrong but Monique just shakes her off. People are used to her being weird after their first Christmas with her as the Player EIC. She explicitly said no Christmas decorations and well Damien is a dick.

 

By the time she makes it to the first floor, Monique is breathing again. Enough to call Molly at least.

 

"I was expecting you to call as soon as I sent the second message." Molly said as she answers her phone. She sounded like she was 30 seconds from crying. Monique knew that feeling quite well at the moment.

 

"I was leaving the building for lunch and got your message in the elevator." Monique lied, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible. "You know the reception is questionable in the elevators."

 

"Enough to get a text message, not enough to make a phone call?"

 

"Exactly. I thought you were just going in for a regular gynecologist visit and not your regular cancer screening."

 

"There were some abnormalities in my bloodwork." Molly practically whispered.

 

"And unfortunately, your new boyfriend, who happened to sleep with my sister in high school did not give you and STD?" Because country club kids know all the other country club kids. She is significantly younger than Daniel by country club standards. However, he was a contemporary of big sister and Mercedes slept with the Meade heir just to screw with their absentee father.

 

"Unfortunately, no."

 

"And you went through all the follow-up test alone?" She doesn't ask about stages or the specific results. Monique doesn't want to know yet. She would like a few days of pretending that this is an easy cancer that they're going to be able to destroy once more, but she knows better. This was her second time at the cancer rodeo.

 

"Daniel had work stuff. It is fashion week and we’ve only been together a few weeks. This isn’t something that you drop on someone so soon in the relationship." valid point. Especially because the bastard freaked out so badly the first time around.

 

"I’m here. I'm always available for doctor duty." That's why she left Isabella last time around.

 

"You had a major photo shoot this morning for the summer swimsuit issue." Which she despises and would have loved an excuse to get out of anyway.

 

"I swear next year we are doing the swimsuit issue in November."

 

"And this is why I went alone."

 

"I care more about you than Player. Candi could’ve ran that shoot with Cliff. The guy is a photo genius.” Because there are some things you don’t do alone and running a gauntlet of test to find out the cancer is back is just one of those things.

 

"I thought Dr. Carson was being overly cautious.” Because Molly’s mom died of ovarian cancer before she even made it to Molly’s age. Because Molly was already diagnosed the first time at a ridiculously young age and they weren’t anywhere close to the five year remission mark.

 

“You still should’ve brought me with you. It doesn’t matter. I’m here now. Where are you?" Monique asked this question because Molly still sounds like she's about to cry and Monique really just wants to hug her right now.

 

"Wandering through Brooklyn."

 

"Please tell me it’s the nice part of Brooklyn?”

 

"Yes. That’s where the in network oncologists is.” Which Monique hates. She’ll be calling the University in Manhattan Medical Center the second this phone call is over because maybe the other oncologists screwed up. She hopes that’s the case because… She just needs Molly to be okay.

 

"Do you need me to come get you?"

 

"You hate driving.” Yes, she did. Seeing video footage of your husband being ran over by your fellow hotel heiress repeatedly on CNN will cause car issues for anyone. Besides she’s too shaky to drive and she may vomit at any moment.

 

“Yes I do but I would for you. However, that’s not necessary because car service is a wonderful thing. The post lunch rush is almost over. I may make it in under an hour with minimal traffic, by Manhattan standards anyway."

 

"You hate using Vivian’s car service."

 

"Again for you I would. Find a coffee shop or something and I’ll be there in an hour."

 

"Or you can send the car to come get me."

 

"That’s a better idea. He can also stop by your place and to let you pick up some clothes since you’re moving in for a little while."

 

"That’s not necessary." Yes it was because Molly could not be alone right now, Monique would not let her.

 

"You lived on my couch after Jordan died. Moving you into my way too big loft until you can adjust to what’s going on is the least I can do."

 

"You won’t take no for an answer?"

 

"I have to get something from my mother. Vivienne despises the word no." Monique joked, false bravado still in place. It was the only thing keeping the tears away.

 

"Bring lunch. Soup or something light." Monique really didn’t want to do that because things follow the pattern of last time, vegetable broth will become Molly’s favorite food group. Molly needed one last night of junk food.

 

She calls the car service first. Monique arranges for one car to venture to Brooklyn to get Molly and another one to get her. She’s still too unsettled to walk and she just doesn’t feel like a cab ride right now. The car service does not ask questions when you start crying hysterically in the back seat. They’re way too good at their jobs for that.

 

She calls the oncology department at the UMMC. Vivian Windom-West is on the board of directors, so Molly gets an appointment the next day.

 

The car is still at least 15 minutes away because traffic in Manhattan is evil. She should probably get food. Thankfully, there is a deli right where she told the car service to come get her. That was perfect because the other option was the bar and Monique probably shouldn’t be near alcohol at a time like this.

 

She walks in and sees the place is almost empty. That doesn’t surprise Monique because it’s now almost 3. Too late for lunch way too early for dinner. 

 

There’s a really cute guy behind the counter. Just her type. Not that she was looking for anybody right now because Molly needed her. A new boyfriend will definitely not be sticking around, even if Molly would let him. And she won't because she's barely letting Monique stick around and that's only because Monique will not allow Molly to push her away.

 

Maybe if she was still with Connor things would be different but rumor mill has it that he is fucking Wilhelmina Slater already. Normally Monique doesn’t listen to office Gossip, but the Mode rumor mill was usually accurate and Amanda knew her stuff.

 

Unfortunately, cute deli guy was currently making out with the Baker girl. Of course, he has a girlfriend because that is just her life, nothing but tears and misery, accompanied by a big bank account that she doesn’t even use.

 

'Stop ogling what you can't have and order a sandwich, you idiot.' Except her eyes get blurry when she even looks at the menu on the board and her mind is too busy trying to remember all the things that made Molly sick last time around. Ham was a big no-no. 

 

She should also contact Vicki, Mercedes former drug dealer from the bad times was now legit and she probably needed to buy Molly a stash of those special chocolate bars.

 

She should also let Candi know she’s not coming back for at least a few days. She hated putting Damien in charge, but it was her and Molly against the world right now. 

 

Maybe the doctor in Manhattan will have better news. Maybe there’s a new treatment options. She doesn’t want to lose Molly. She has other friends or at least she hope she does, but no one else like Molly. Sometimes she thinks half of them only talk to her because she’s a Windom-West. She’s not sure how many of them would stay by her side if something bad really happened. (Many of them were conveniently on vacation when she lost Jordan.) Breanna was the only one anywhere close to Molly and she had to focus on her daughter Alexis. Maybe Cliff would eventually come into that category, but he was still mostly a work friend at this point. 

 

Monique was thinking that she seriously needed new friends when she heard the clatter of a plate being placed on the counter in front of her.

 

"I think you could use this." She heard the cute deli guy say. She looked up to see a large bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich in front of her.

 

"I did not order yet."

 

"You kind of look like somebody who could use a grilled cheese sandwich and some tomato soup."

 

"What does somebody look like that needs grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Monique asked hesitantly.

 

"Someone who looks 20 seconds from crying.”

 

"That would be accurate." Monique said as she tentatively took a bite of the sandwich. She’s pretty sure she did not finish her morning banana because Damien is a dick.

 

"Let me guess. Boyfriend broke up with you?” She wished it was something that simple.

 

“No boyfriend to break up with. I’m a widow.” 

 

She doesn’t know why she tells cute deli guy that. Her widow status is usually something she keeps quiet if people don’t know. But most people in her world know about her husband being murdered. Again, the graphic footage was on heavy rotation on CNN. Thank God the incident predated YouTube. Maybe he just has that type of voice that makes you want to confess everything.

 

“That explains it. I’m sorry.” 

 

“Car accident but it was not a recent thing. I’ve been a window for a long time, more than five years actually. I just haven't dated that much in the interim."

 

“Anniversary?” Monique realizes that he's asking her if the anniversary of his death or their wedding anniversary is the reason why she feels like crying right now. She almost smiles at the fact he is aware those days are always awful for her.

 

"The anniversary of my husband Jordan’s death was in December and our wedding anniversary is next month.” It would have been 10 years because she got married way too young.

 

"And February just happens to be in the middle and included a day dedicated to happy couples. I think you're going to need another bowl and possibly a brownie.”

 

"I made peace with Jordan’s death a long time ago and that’s only because I had Molly." Her eyes become moist with tears before the name even leaves her lips. 

 

"We been friends for what seems like forever but we really didn’t meet until college. But we’ve been with each other from everything from miscarriages to burying husbands to holding her hair back when you are reacting badly from chemotherapy.” Monique was already making a mental note to get a few more trash cans for the house.

 

"But you survived all that together?"

 

"Yes." And this is when the metaphorical dam breaks and Monique ends up sobbing into her grilled cheese, which is just ridiculous.

 

"Best friend fight?"

 

"Best friend's cancer came back. I sent my mom’s driver to get her because she’s wandering Brooklyn after the doctor’s appointment from hell because she didn’t even think to have me come with her. You shouldn’t find out the cancers back alone."

 

"No, you shouldn’t."

 

"But Molly is stubborn. She is the most stubborn person I have met in my entire existence. She doesn’t want to take help. She thinks that she can do everything on her own and..." Monique is literally at a loss for what to say next.

 

"I’m sure she just didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily." 

 

"It doesn’t matter. Because she did and part of me thinks she did that because this time it’s going to be worse and that there’s no hope that she’s going to survive this." Monique’s voice is harsh and low. She doesn’t want to know what she’ll do if Molly doesn’t survive this. 

 

"No situation is hopeless." Gio says as her phone beeps with another text message from the car service.

 

"Cancer is evil and this fuc—this disease killed her mom and I really don’t want to consider what will happen if it takes her too.” She looked down to see that the driver was only about three blocks away, which could take who knows how long in Manhattan traffic.

 

"My ride is close. Could you wrap up the rest of my sandwich to go and get me an extra-large container of the soup to take home as well? I think Molly would like this. Actually, can you add another sandwich?” The driver can wait. Molly needs to eat and this is actually good.

 

"Sure, although grilled cheese is best eaten warm."

 

"I have a Panini press at home. I can take care of it. And Molly needs to eat. She’s gonna stay with me for a few weeks.” Because she can’t be alone.

 

"A woman after my own heart." He smiles at her and her stomach does the weird flippy thing which is just awful because her brain reminds her that he obviously has a girlfriend. And unlike her biological mother, Monique will not screw with somebody else’s significant other. She would not be that person. 

 

Yet she grabs his business card and made sure that Candi scheduled regular lunch deliveries because they would starve otherwise, and Molly actually likes hot deli guy soup. Okay maybe she should start referring to it as Gio’s soup considering his picture’s on the menu. Monique assumes that hot deli guy is Gio. 

 

Maybe she should have asked his name before she started baring her soul. But Monique has never been normal and there is something about him that just told her that this guy won’t sell you out to the tabloids.

 

The next day is kind of nuts filled with doctors’ appointments, tests, and second opinions that are just as bad as the first. Monique hates the word metastasize with a fiery passion along with stage IV. Because this time around remission is not an option. Treatment is barely an option six months to a year, even with chemo and radiation. 

 

Seriously, why did the assholes not see this during Molly’s cancer check last year? Maybe the cheap doctors were not paying attention. Maybe if Molly allowed her to keep paying for the good oncologists they wouldn’t be dealing with this right now.

 

They were by the river with a couple of sandwiches they picked up from Gio’s deli on the way. Yes, hot deli guy was Gio. 

 

According to his little sister, who was helping out that afternoon, he does have a girlfriend named Nadine who she hates and constantly refers to as sourdough girl because she’s the one who creates the delicious breads. It’s never a good sign when your little sister is praying for your breakup or at least for you to realize that you don’t actually want to marry this person.

 

Monique eats her prosciutto and mozzarella as she watches Molly make that phone call to Daniel. Monique likes Daniel. He’s a good boss who emailed her personally when HR informed him this afternoon that she would be taking an extended leave of absence to take care of a terminally ill family member. But she was also wary of the guy dating her best friend because one, he slept with her sister. Two, according to the rumor mill, he’s in love with his best friend. Considering what she’s seen that’s what she probably needs to be more concerned with. 

 

“You did the right thing.” Monique said as Molly sat down next to her on the verge of tears.

 

“Daniel’s a good guy. He doesn't need to be dragged into this.” Molly whisper softly.

 

“He’s a decent boss. Although there is a betting pool about when he will hook up with his assistant/best friend.”

 

"So he will land on his feet?" Monique can tell that Molly is second-guessing herself.

 

"Better than me anyway. I keep crushing on guys that are unavailable."

 

"Yes, like hot deli guy." Of course she picked up on the accidental flirting this afternoon. That's what Molly does.

 

"Come on, let’s get hot chocolate." Monique grabs her hand dragging Molly to the nearest coffeehouse.

 

"You don’t have to do this." Monique knows she's not just talking about the hot chocolate.

 

"I heard you tell Daniel that you were staying with family. Well guess what I’m family. We will get through this." She squeezed Molly’s hand as tightly as she could.

 

"Okay." Molly said returning the gesture.

 

The end.

Sorry, this was supposed to be a story about how Gio and Monique met and it became a story about the power of female friendship. But this is definitely a day that change Monique and Gio’s life forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this was supposed to be a story about how Gio and Monique met and it became a story about the power of female friendship. But this is definitely a day that change Monique and Gio’s life forever.


	3. Things We Only Realize When Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things We Only Realize When Drunk and usually than it's already too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last short story. Also, thank you to Nina for posting the last installment for me because I wasn’t in a place where I could. Thank you to everyone who sent their condolences to my brother-in-law. It’s been a hard couple of weeks, but we are working through it.
> 
> This is going to be the last anthology short story I post before moving on to the main story. I promise there will be more stories in this series, but I want to start working on the main course before coming back to the supplemental.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ugly Betty or any other version of the show. We would be on season nine, if I did.
> 
> This takes place immediately after the season three finale.

 

 

June 13, 2009 12:22 AM  
Marc sat in a trendy bar in the hotel hosting this farce of an award show nursing his fourth whiskey of the evening. He had been sitting there ever since he ditched Amanda an hour ago, after receiving a phone call from Betty-the-job-taker. Amanda tried to be there for him but it wasn't working because sometimes he doesn’t think sincere is in her repertoire. She was his best friend but sometimes she didn't get it. He couldn't deal with false comfort right now.

It was already close to 1 AM, but he did not care. So far he avoided four phone calls from Amanda, three from Betty-the-evil-job-taker, and one from his evil, backstabbing boss the wicked bitch of the Upper East Side. He was in no mood for a pity tonight.

Finding out you lost your dream job in the fashion industry to somebody who thought Jimmy Choo was a type of gum would drive anybody straight to the bottle. The realization that it was your own fault because you were too afraid to try something new was another thing entirely. He was a moron.

Normally he was not one for hard liquor, preferring a Chocolate Martini or a Screaming Orgasm. Neither of those would improve his mood on this night. Today was a hard liquor kind of day. If only he could find a "Screaming Orgasm" that was not in a glass, maybe he would not be drowning his sorrows in hard liquor. Unfortunately, this wasn’t that type of bar.

There has not been much of that recently, anyway. He didn't have the time for anything substantial nor did he want to. At least that's what he told himself.

What happened with Jodie definitely did not count. He was trying to repress what he did with his YEIT instructor a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, there was not enough alcohol in Manhattan for that. (That situation was so bad he wouldn’t even go to her for a recommendation.)

Now he was sitting here hurt and angry with both Wilhelmina and Daniel. He was angry with himself for believing Wilhelmina cared about anything but herself. He didn't resent Betty at all. That is a lie. He hates the job taker a little.

He knew she worked hard and was brilliant at what she did (but not more brilliant than him). He worked just as hard and was stuck in career purgatory. She would make a wonderful editor at a magazine that did not focus on fashion. She was the only person in the world who could miss match designer clothing in a way that made them so grossly tacky. She didn't even want to write for a fashion magazine but her Daniel bear was there so she was never leaving.

If it were anyone else, he would scream up and down that the person got the job over him because she/he applied on his or her back. (Although she was sure Megan and Jacqueline were already spreading that rumor around as he tried not to cry into his glass. He may join them once he was sober anyway. Just because he doesn't believe it, doesn't mean he won't gossip about it.)

Betty would never do anything like that. Even if Daniel finally got a clue and realized he only married Molly because she was a Betty clone, nothing would come of it. Betty is just too good of a person to get a position by sleeping with the boss, even if she is in love with him. Why hasn’t this magazine sucked all semblance of morality out of her already, like it has everyone else? He really hated her sometimes.

After finishing his fourth (or was it seventh) shot of the night and receiving another phone call from the evil one, he realized he should probably go find his master. She probably needed to fit him for a new choke collar. Tonight, Marc did not care.

Instead, he ordered another shot. He could not take Wilhelmina's fake promises punctuated by an even faker smile. He was done. She went too far this time. He was tired of advancing Wilhelmina's career while she placed his career on a sacrificial altar.

He wondered if Wilhelmina ever intended to give him the editor position or for him to become anything beyond her slave. Maybe dangling the position in front of him like a carrot was just a ploy to get him to continue in his servitude. The diva probably did not want to break in a new slave--- he means assistant.

She knew he wanted to stay at Mode (Amanda needed someone to watch over her) and used that against him. Again, Wilhelmina only cared about Wilhelmina. He should know that by now. Yet he allows himself to be bamboozled.

From beauty injections to blackmailing surrogate mothers, Marc did everything she asked of him. He should have been in jail 1000 times over because of some of the things he has done in her name (mostly related to consoling her stealing Bradford’s sperm). Yet he did them anyway for her sake, with little concern for his own self-preservation. She was his own personal idol and he would do anything for her. That was his own stupidity.

She never said thank you. She never gave him anything other than adequate on his employee evaluation. A lesser person would have turned state's evidence against the wicked Bitch of the Upper Eastside long ago or at the bare minimum freshen up his resume.

A stronger person than him would stand up to Wilhelmina, but that wasn't him. (Mommy Weiner made sure of that.) One of these days, Wilhelmina will just self-destruct and he will watch her powerless to do anything.

If the entire evening had not been humiliating enough, the cherry on top was the presence of his ex-boyfriend Cliff. Cliff was just another embodiment of how Marc continuously allows self-doubt to keep him from something great. Okay, it was another reminder of his tendency to self-sabotage his own happiness.

Marc got so caught up in preparing for his new job, that he did not actually take, that he completely forgot to check to see his ex-boyfriend was nominated for anything. Of course the brilliant photographer was nominated in the best cover category for his photography. (Unfortunately, he lost to some hack who did a cover for Isabella that looked as if he shot it with his iPhone.)

Marc was completely shocked to see him at the ceremony. His date for the evening surprisingly enough was fashion designer Briana West-Hartley. She was the super-rich and eccentric designer aunt of Betty's Boy Toy, even though she was only nine years older than Matt. (It was quite the scandal, multimillionaire impregnates his housekeeper and then keeps the child.)

He always admired Briana because she was one of the few women that could tell Wilhelmina Slater to fuck off and lived to tell about it. She stopped advertising in Mode in June of 2006, right before her self-exile to Paris, just to prove that point.

Adding insult to injury, she started advertising in Player when diversity conscious Isabella ex-pat Monique Osborn took over. (Rumor has it that they are best friends and bonded over coming into existence the exact same way.) Briana West-Hartley was one of the most brilliant business minds in the fashion industry. Then again she was a Hartley.

If it were any other ex-boyfriend, he would not be jealous. However, he remembered a conversation with Cliff after he discovered a photograph of an ex-girlfriend in Cliff's apartment. Cliff told him that he loved people not gender. Therefore, it could be possible that his ex went to the dark side again. To make Marc's evening complete his ex-boyfriend's "date" was now sitting next to him at the bar in the hotel sipping a mango Margarita, Betty-job-stealer’s favorite drink as she spoke with her baby daughter in the most loving way possible. He needed another drink.

"Can I please have another one?” He raised his hands as the designer beside him finished her phone call with ‘I love you’. “This time maybe a scotch."

"Are you drinking liquor like water because of a stupid guy or some other reason?" Briana asked as she started to concentrate on her drink again.

"If only it were a guy. Unfortunately, it is some other reason. How did you know it would be a guy?" Marc replied, taking the drink from the bartender.

"We met before when you were still the assistant for Wilhelmina Slater. You spent half the photo shoot hitting on the models." She answered nonchalantly. God bless her for assuming that you would no longer be working for the she-devil.

"One of the few perks of my horrible job as one of Wilhelmina's flying monkeys."

"You're still her assistant? I didn't think anybody could take working for her for five years without spending time in a psychiatric ward." She said with a laugh.

"Unfortunately, yes. The only reason I'm not in a straitjacket is because I couldn't find one with a designer label." Marc said with a bitter laugh as he took another drink of the scotch.

"Maybe I should look into that. I could design an entire line for individuals with mental illness who still want to be fashionable."

"Maybe Wilhelmina can be your model. I would love to put her in a straitjacket. It would be ironic considering what she did to her sister." Did he really say that out loud? He really did love Wilhelmina; there were just some days when he wanted to strangle her. If something were to happen to her he would be devastated.

"What did she do to her sister?" The designer asked with a sense of interest.

"She had me switch her sister's psychiatric medication with fat blocker to trigger a psychotic break. I probably should not have said that. Too much liquor after being stabbed in the back by your boss tends to loosen lips." Marc said sardonically.

"Hey, Brianna the car should be here in 15 minutes and I think we're going to have to go without Monique. She’s not answering her cell phone but according to one of the waiters, Mo ran out of here quickly without saying a word to ..." He stopped speaking when he notice Marc. He and Cliff stood there looking at each other in shock.

"Hello Mr. St Paul. I was just speaking with your lovely date for the evening. I did not know you switched back to the female side of things." Marc said in a very cold voice.

"After what happened you do not exactly have a right to be upset Mr. St James, especially if certain rumors about you are true." Cliff answered pointing out how silly the last name thing was.

"He is THE Marc?" She said in a way that told him she knew way too much about him. Neither man responded to her.

"I am going to let you two talk to each other, as I make sure that Monique is not here before we leave without her. Maybe I should try her boyfriend. Just so you know, I came here as Cliff's escort because my BFF Monique was nominated in the best men's magazine category but she disappeared before she accepted her award. God I hope she's just having sex with new boy toy in the men's room and just lost track of time." Briana said as she left the bar.

"Your 'friends' with a fashion designer now, you hate fashion?" Marc put emphasize on the word friend.

"We have known each other since I was in college. Bri is different. For one thing, she designs clothing for the Mode girl who isn't a size -2."

They stayed silent for a few moments. Finally, Marc broke the silence. "Graduations on being nominated and I'm sorry you lost to some hack from Isabella. You were much better."

"You've been keeping up with me?"

"It’s in my best interest to keep up with the best talent in the industry even though it didn’t work out for us." Being I fucked things up so badly.

"I haven't been purposely avoiding employment at Mode. I just go to where the work is. How have things been with you these last couple of months?" Marc knew it was a weak attempt at small talk, but he was just happy that Cliff was still speaking to him.

"Absolutely lovely. I got into the YETI program and I squandered my chance because I mistakenly believed that Wilhelmina actually cares about somebody other than herself. Now I will forever be known as Wilhelmina's flunky. I fooled myself into thinking that she sees me as anything other than her personal slave. Currently I am stuck at a dead end job with no chance of ever getting out. Betty gets the job I want because Daniel is in love with her. You know the usual. Did I mention I did get into the YETI program? I did nothing with that chance but I did get in." He said trying to accentuate the positive.

"You did. Twice. I remember you were spending so much time on the project, congratulations." He almost sounded gracious.

"Thank you for letting me use the photographs for the mock magazine even after we broke up." OK so Cliff may have did a lot of the prep work for that project.

"I wasn't going to jeopardize your career just because we broke up."

"Thank you for caring about someone other than yourself. You are the only one besides Amanda. Can I please have another scotch?" He wasn't drunk enough to make nice with his ex.

"How many of those have you had tonight?" He almost sounded concern when he asked the question.

"This will be the seventh one." At that he could see the bartender hold up 10 fingers.

"Maybe it's time to switch to fruit juice or even coffee? You never could hold your liquor very well. You always do stupid things when you're drunk." The last part was said in a whisper but Marc still heard.

"Such as telling Wilhelmina's sister how Wilhelmina really acquire the sperm for her almost Meade baby or how I screwed up our relationship by fucking someone else?" There was also the desperation of the most recent Jodie incident but Marc was completely repressing that force venture.

"I wasn't going to bring that up."

"Why not, I think about it every time I pass by that guy's apartment. I live in that building now that Miss I-stole-your-job moved back to Queens. I took over her apartment with Mandy." Marc said as he brought the drink to his lips. Apparently the bartender took Cliff's suggestion and Marc is pretty sure he was drinking a shot of apple juice.

"I don't want you to do something you'll regret again." Cliff said taking the empty glass from Marc's hand.

"Already did that and I was stone cold sober at the time. I got a job offer to be a Junior Editor at Vogue." Marc told him bitterly.

"That's wonderful," Marc could tell that despite everything Cliff was genuinely happy. That just made him feel like even more of an asshole for screwing up what they had.

"I didn't take the job. I almost took the job, but Wilhelmina promised me a similar position at Mode."

"You have worked there a very long time. I can understand why you would decide to stay." Cliff's said this in a tone that told Marc that the man thought he was crazy. That's OK because Marc feels exactly the same way.

"Except I didn't get the new editor job, Betty-Job-taker did. Which is why I am sitting here drinking scotch with my ex-boyfriend who I let get away because I was too scared." He wasn't sure if he was too afraid to move on from Mode or Wilhelmina.

"You also lost your chance at Vogue because you were too afraid to step outside your comfort zone. This is what you did with us and now you are doing it again with your career. You need to stop being afraid of change." There was an underline sense of bitterness in the words.

"It's too late for Vogue, they've already filled the position with someone else. It is too late for us as well?" It was not a statement this time, rather a question.

"That position has already been filled by someone else as well." Cliff said as he let Marc take a shot. This one was thankfully not Apple juice.

"Please tell me he's not prettier than me?"

"His name is Corey and we met at a shoot for Player in January. He’s working in Milan this week otherwise he would've been here." Of course Cliff is with a model, which makes perfect sense. The universe hates him.

"I guess this is what I deserve for being a cowardly asshole." Marc said finishing his… He's not even sure what number drink of the night.

"In that case maybe you should stop being a coward. Next time do not keep yourself from taking advantage of a great opportunity. Promise me that the next time you're offered a great career opportunity you won't let Wilhelmina or anyone else, including yourself, keep you from taking it." Cliff almost banged.

"I promise," Marc said as he suddenly became sick. Maybe he should have stopped at six drinks. It felt like the room was spinning.

"Just because we're not together doesn't mean you can't call me occasionally. I think we can be friends at this point." He wasn't so sure he was ready for that. He personally wanted to figure out who the model boyfriend was just so he can blacklist the guy from working for a New York-based publication

"I thought you burned my picture in effigy." He joked. Marc may or may not have a copy that he keeps in his bedroom that Amanda knows nothing about or whatever.

"After I sent back that girdle and left a few nasty messages with Amanda I got over it. I do not hate you as much as I did in the beginning. Besides Briana is also an ex and we are friends now. It doesn't all have to be fights over the microwave and puppies." If he wasn't on the verge vomiting he would be raising an eyebrow at Cliff.

"I never got any of that until a month and a half ago. Amanda is very overprotective. I hope you don't like those shoes." Marc said seconds before destroying said pair. That's essentially the last thing he remembers as everything goes slightly black.  
xxxxxxx  
The next morning, Marc wakes up to Amanda giving him a bottle of water and some Tylenol. He tries not to think about how much he missed his ex. He wondered if Cliff was the one who brought him home last night. When he saw the cab receipt he knows that it was Amanda that brought him home. Of course, Cliff would not be that nice, not after what he did.

He tried not to think about the fact that Amanda will probably be the only constant in his life. He also tried not to think about how he was completely stuck in his current situation. He also tried not to think about how it really was his own fault. Nothing will change unless he changes it. Did he really want things to change?

Yes, he did. He was tired of being alone. He was tired of being stuck. But how does he change his current situation? Marc isn't sure what to do so he resolves to put his head under the covers until his hangover becomes halfway manageable.

If Marc wasn't so hung over he would've realize that that receipt was Amanda's receipt from earlier that night and Cliff actually did bring him home. If he turned it over he would have saw the words 'call Jodie 555-555-2369' written on the back in Amanda's eyeliner. But he doesn't call because by the time he actually does wake up the message is crumbled under his bed. It will be a year before Marc realizes what his inactivity cost him this time.  
The End

This version is not significantly different than the old version on the surface but I did plant the seeds of one of the major changes I'm making to the new version of the story. Does anyone want to venture a guess as to why Jodie called (other than Nina who knows what I have planned)?


End file.
